As Bihar gears up for its two-phase Assembly polls on November 6 and 11, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has intensified his campaign, positioning himself as the face of change against the ruling NDA. Speaking exclusively to Mint in Patna, Tejashwi declared that the opposition Mahagathbandhan, comprising seven parties including the Congress, is united and poised to replace a government he described as “copycat” and “out of touch with the people.”

Tejashwi, who was recently announced as the chief ministerial candidate, dismissed any confusion within the alliance, asserting that partnership with the Congress and other parties remains strong. When asked about the speculation surrounding a Muslim deputy CM, he hinted at the possibility, saying, “We are not ruling it out. Let’s wait and watch — it can be from any community.” The RJD leader also took a sharp dig at the BJP’s social media campaigns, alleging they were trying to divide communities and distract voters from core issues like unemployment and development.

In his critique of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi accused the NDA of running a “copycat” administration and "exploiting women voters" with short-term schemes. “They announced ₹10,000 for women to start businesses — how can anyone start a business with that? We focus on real empowerment and job creation,” he said. He reiterated his promise of providing a government job to every household without one, vowing to turn Bihar into a “Viksit Bihar.”

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Taking aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, Tejashwi claimed the party was more interested in “factories in Gujarat and victories in Bihar.” He alleged that Nitish Kumar had become “hijacked by the BJP” and insisted his coalition could no longer work with the JD(U). Confident of his chances, he signed off saying, “When Tejashwi becomes CM, 14 crore people of Bihar will become CMs — the people will rule, not the politicians.”

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